Injustice to the indigenous people continues

On the commemoration of International Human Rights Day
Injustice to the indigenous people continues

The indigenous people have nothing to celebrate in today's commemoration of the 63rd anniversary of the International Human Rights Day. We have all the reasons to be in rage with the current administration. More than one year of President Aquino's presidency, there is no significant change in the condition of the indigenous people's human rights. The climate of impunity that reigned during the Arroyo administration continues.

The Aquino administration has been inutile in rendering justice to the 150 victims of extrajudicial killings of the previous Arroyo administration. Worse extrajudicial killings, arrests and detention, threats and political villification are continuously done to the indigenous people. And it is much more lethal, thanks to the more dubious security plan cooked up and implemented by Aquino's security council and the AFP.

Since Aquino took the helm of presidency, 13 extrajudicial killings of indigenous peoples have been recorded by various IP groups. Sadly, the administration has done nothing to resolve these killings. Worst, the Aquino administration has adopted an attitude of denial on these reported extrajudicial killings.

Indigenous communities resisting so-called development projects that include large-scale mining, commercial logging and huge dams have repeatedly evacuated due to intense militarization. Since last year, the Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) and Indigenous Peoples Rights Monitor (IPRM) have documented 10 incidents of forced evacuation due to intense militarization such as the case of the Mamanwa communities in Kitcharao and Jabonga, Agusan del Norte. The Mamanwas in these areas have evacuated four times since May 2010. The militarization of the Zapanta Valley in Agusan is linked to the mining rush in the said region.

Indigenous peoples and their communities are also threatened by the state-sponsored paramilitary groups such as the Bungkatol Liberation Front (BULIF), Wild Dogs and ALAMARA. President Aquino encourages the formation of paramilitary groups in indigenous and peasant communities. It seems that Aquino has not learned anything from the experience of Maguindanao massacre and the Ondo Perez hostage taking incident.

President Aquino has all the power to stop the atrocities of the state's armed forces against indigenous peoples. We call upon him to immediately order the pull out the AFP forces in indigenous communities and to decisively disband the private armies of local politicians and para-military groups. We also call upon him to expeditiously prosecute and punish perpetrators of human rights violations. President Aquino must stop the worsening human rights conditions of the indigenous people or brace itself from the wrath of the indigenous peoples. -30-

Reference
Kakay Tolentino
Dumagat
Spokesperson KATRIBU Partylist